Secrets Overheard
by Hela Lokidottr
Summary: Arthur and Gwen just so happen to overhear Merlin having a discussion with his dead girlfriend in a lake... Were they spying on him? Certainly not! Eventual reveal fic.
It was the 5th of April, and Arthur was taking Gwen on a romantic sunrise walk by the woods. "The colors are so beautiful." She murmured, leaning into Arthur's embrace.

"Listen." The King hissed suddenly. They both fell silent and peered into the distance, realizing with shock that the mysterious figure was none other than Merlin.

That was how the King and Queen ended up following their favorite manservant through the Darkling Woods. When Merlin finally stopped by the edge of a lake, Arthur almost didn't notice. Only Gwen pulling his arm stopped him from running straight into Merlin.

His servant- no, his friend- knelt by the lake. It was plainly obvious that he was struggling not to cry. A traiterous tear escaped. Arthur stared in shock at Merlin. It just wasn't natural. Merlin was never sad.

"Please, just talk to me." He whispered. For a moment, Arthur thought Merlin had seen them, but he continued, "I know you're here. Please."

His voice broke at the end. Arthur began to stand up, but Gwen pulled him back down. " _Look_!" She pointed at the lake. At first, Arthur didn't know what she was talking about, but then he noticed the ripples. A dark-haired girl walked out of the lake, perfectly dry.

"Merlin." She said softly. Why did Merlin know a girl who lived in a lake-obviously a sorceress?

When she spoke, Merlin's head snapped up. His smile was sad, but relieved. "I was starting to think I was talking to the wrong lake." He joked weakly, standing up.

The girl touched his cheek. "My Merlin." She was starting to cry as well.

Merlin did not respond at first. When he did, it wasn't with words. He pulled the sorceress into a passionate kiss. Arthur looked away, pouting.

"How come he gets a hot girlfriend in a lake?" He pouted. Gwen frowned and elbowed him, but a smile was playing at her lips. "Is he enchanted?" He asked her quietly.

At this point, the sorceress broke off the kiss. "It's been a long time."

"Yeah. Since that stuff with the sword." Merlin shook his head in apology. "Sorry. I've been kind of busy."

"And how many times have you saved 'the prat''s life since I've seen you?" She said in a teasing tone. Arthur stiffened. They were talking about him.

"At least a dozen. Probably more." He laughed, but it was a sad laugh. "Why does the world hate me so much?"

"The world doesn't hate you." The sorceress chided. "Mostly I think it just hates Camelot."

"I can't seem to go a month without someone dying." What was Merlin talking about? "Lancelot, Balinor... _You_..."

Arthur and Gwen both froze in shock. The girl was dead?

"It wasn't your fault, Merlin." Her voice was comforting now. "Yours _or_ Arthur's."

Gwen glanced at Arthur in surprise, but he could only shrug. How was the sorceress's death his fault, or why would Merlin think it was?

"How can you say that, Freya?" So they finally had a name. "He stabbed you."

Arthur froze. _What_?! He hadn't stabbed Merlin's secret sorceress lake girlfriend!

"Yeah. Three years ago today. That's not something one easily forgets." Her voice was flat. Then she gripped Merlin's shoulder. "I don't blame him, and neither should you. He was protecting Camelot."

"See? Evil sorceress. I saved Camelot." Arthur whispered. But he was frowning. The girl hadn't done anything to hurt Merlin, and he couldn't remember a sorceress exactly three years ago.

"I should have saved you." Merlin sniffled. He seemed so weak now. "I-"

"You did everything you could." She cut him off. "Even the great and powerful Emrys can't do everything. And if you're just going to mope all day, I might as well leave. I do have a job, you know, and I'm not taking any amount of time off just to sit here and cry."

Merlin took a deep breath and smiled. He was still crying, but much less. "So tell me, how does it feel to be the Guardian of Avalon? We haven't really had a chance to talk."

"It's great. I'd rather be alive, with you, but being on good terms with Emrys does tend to get you a good job."

There it was again. Emrys. What did that mean? Arthur had no time to think, as Merlin was speaking.

"I miss you, more than you could imagine." Merlin breathed. "Every day. When I was visiting one of the camps last week, there was a wedding going on, and all I could think was That could have been us."

"If we had gotten married, what would our lives be like now?" Freya wondered aloud. "Would we be happy?"

"I would be the happiest man in the world. I can just imagine you, walking down the aisle..." Merlin's voice was far off. Arthur glanced at Gwen, who was obviously feeling just as confused and sad as he was.

"We wouldn't have had an aisle. We would have been lucky to find a place to get married at all. Living on the run wouldn't have been easy, you know."

Arthur blinked. Then he blinked again. Then a third time, just to make sure he wasn't seeing things. He pinched himself, just in case. It hurt. But _Merlin_ , living _on the run_? It was preposterous.

"But it would have been worth it." The manservant sighed. "If we did have a wedding, the perfect wedding- what would it be?"

"I'd want a good dress, or course." The girl sounded thoughtful. "Something red, with no train. White flowers. It would be outside somewhere, with just our closest friends." The opposite of Gwen and Arthur's wedding, the king noted.

"I wish I could have given you that happily ever after." Merlin glanced away.

Freya's hand touched his cheek. "My Merlin. I would never have wanted that ending with anyone but you." She kissed him. "I have to go. Come back soon. I've enjoyed meeting you without the whole of Albion at stake."

Then she stood up and walked into the water, vanishing without a trace. Merlin smiled sadly as he gazed out at the lake. Gwen pulled a shell-shocked Arthur back towards Camelot. They would most certainly be bringing this up with Merlin later.


End file.
